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Chelsea Sodaro
Chelsea Sodaro
Chelsea Sodaro
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Chelsea Reilly Sodaro (born May 9, 1989, in San Luis Obispo, California) is an American professional triathlete. She won the Ironman World Championship in 2022.[1][2]

Background

[edit]

After graduating from Davis High School in Davis, California, Sodaro attended University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship. While at Cal, she earned All-American honors as a senior in cross-country and track. She ended her college career with a ninth-place finish in the women's 5000 meters at the 2012 NCAA Championships[3]

As a professional runner, Sodaro won two national titles. She won the USA 10 km road championships in 2012, in her debut at that distance.[4] At 2013 USATF Indoor Championships, she won the 3000m race, edging out Emily Infeld.[5] She was coached by fellow Cal alum and Olympian Magdalena Boulet.

In 2017, she transitioned from running to triathlon.[6]

Triathlon

[edit]

In October 2022, Sodaro won the Ironman World Championship at Kona, Hawaii, becoming the first rookie world champion since Chrissie Wellington and first American woman to win since 1996.[2] It was the second Ironman distance triathlon of her career.

References

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Chelsea Sodaro

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from Grokipedia
Chelsea Sodaro is an American professional triathlete renowned for her historic victory at the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where she became the first American woman to win the event in over 25 years and the first rookie champion in 15 years, finishing in a time of 8:33:46. Born May 9, 1989, in San Luis Obispo, California, Sodaro transitioned to triathlon in 2017 after a distinguished running career at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned four All-American honors, served as cross-country team captain, and secured national titles in the 10,000 meters and 3,000 meters. Her Ironman debut came in 2019 at the Ironman Hamburg, followed by multiple victories in Ironman 70.3 events and a win at the 2024 Ironman New Zealand, culminating in a third-place finish at the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Nice, France. In 2025, she achieved several podium finishes but did not finish the Ironman World Championship in Kona due to nutrition difficulties on the bike. Sodaro, who lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband Steve and daughter Skye—born in 2021—made history as only the second mother to win the Ironman World Championship, achieving the feat just 18 months after childbirth and becoming an advocate for athlete-mothers in endurance sports. Coached by Neal Henderson, she continues to compete at the elite level, supported by sponsors including On Running and Ventum Racing, while volunteering with youth programs like IronKids.

Early Life and Education

Upbringing and Family Background

Chelsea Sodaro was born on May 9, 1989, in . Shortly after her birth, her family relocated to , where she spent her formative years in a community known for its active lifestyle and outdoor opportunities. Growing up in Davis, often called "Bike City, USA," Sodaro was immersed in a supportive environment that encouraged physical activity from an early age. Her early exposure to athletics came through family-oriented activities and local sports programs. As a young child, around five or six years old, she frequently rode her bicycle alongside her father, Peter Reilly—a high school history and avid runner who had completed the —while he jogged along the paths of the UC Davis Arboretum and Putah Creek Trail. By age 10 or 11, Sodaro began joining her father on runs, initially reluctant but soon developing a passion for the sport inspired by his dedication; as she later recalled, "I really admired the way my dad stuck with it... It made a deep impression on me." Her mother, Marcia Snodgrass, a former gymnast at the , and her brother, Max, further fostered this athletic foundation within the family. In Davis, Sodaro also participated in , , and competitive soccer, which helped cultivate her endurance and competitive spirit. Sodaro graduated from Davis High School, where she first formally engaged with running through participation on the cross-country and track teams. Her family's unwavering support during these high school years provided a crucial bedrock for her athletic pursuits, emphasizing perseverance and enjoyment in sports. This early foundation propelled her to continue her running career at the collegiate level, transitioning to the on an .

Collegiate Athletic Career

Sodaro attended the , after being recruited by several top Division I programs, where she joined the Golden Bears cross-country and teams on an . During her first three years from 2008 to 2011, persistent injuries hampered her progress and prevented her from reaching her full potential despite strong high school performances. In her senior year of 2012, Sodaro achieved a breakthrough, earning four All-American honors across cross-country and track events. She secured second-team All-American status in cross-country at the NCAA Championships, as well as in the 3000 meters (16th place, 9:42.25) and (10th place, 11:19.54) at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her outdoor track season culminated in a ninth-place finish in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, clocking 16:30.31 for second-team All-American recognition. As captain of the cross-country team that year, Sodaro provided leadership that helped guide the Golden Bears to their first NCAA Championships appearance in over a decade. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 2012, managing to complete her degree while navigating the demands of elite-level training and recovery from injuries that had tested her resilience throughout her collegiate career.

Running Career

High School and Early Achievements

Chelsea Sodaro began her competitive running career at Davis Senior High School in , participating in cross country and events. Growing up in Davis with family support for her athletic interests, she discovered her talent for running during high school and quickly emerged as a standout distance athlete. In cross country, Sodaro helped lead her team to four Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championships, demonstrating strong team contributions through consistent performances. On the track, she specialized in middle-distance and longer events, achieving a personal best of 17:48 in the 5K at the 2006 Stanford Invitational, 4:21 in the , and 9:24 in the 3200 meters. She also anchored relay teams to second-place finishes at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in the 4x400-meter and 4x1-mile s. Sodaro's key individual achievements included winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I 1600-meter title in both 2006 and 2007, followed by a fourth-place finish in the same event at the 2007 CIF State Championships. She graduated in the top 10% of her class and was a lifetime member of the Scholarship Federation. These results, along with her academic excellence, highlighted her potential and led to her recruitment by the on an . Under the guidance of her high school coaches, she developed the foundational skills and that set the stage for her collegiate success.

Professional Running Successes

After graduating from the in 2011, Chelsea Sodaro transitioned to a professional running career, training under renowned coach Magdalena Boulet, a former Olympian and her mentor from Cal. Boulet's guidance helped Sodaro refine her training, emphasizing strategic pacing and endurance building, which propelled her into elite competition. Sodaro's breakthrough came in 2012 when she placed second at the USA 10 km Road Championships, held as part of the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women in , clocking 32:41. This result marked her as an emerging talent in and secured her position among the top American distance runners. In 2013, Sodaro added a national championship to her resume by winning the USATF Indoor 3000m title in , with a time of 8:53.89, narrowly defeating Emily Infeld in a tactical finish. That year, she also placed fifth in the 5000m at the USATF Outdoor Championships, demonstrating consistency across track and road events. These performances solidified her status as an elite distance runner, with personal bests including a 15:10 5K and a 32:05 10K, highlighting her aerobic capacity and speed. Sodaro's professional running achievements laid a strong foundation for her endurance sports career, providing the aerobic base and mental resilience essential for longer multisport events. By 2017, after competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials and feeling limited by persistent injuries and a plateau in progression, she decided to pivot to , seeking a fresh challenge to extend her athletic potential.

Triathlon Career

Transition from Running

In 2017, Chelsea Sodaro transitioned from professional running to , motivated by persistent injuries, including an Achilles flare-up, and disappointment following her 19th-place finish at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters, which left her seeking a fresh challenge to reignite her passion for endurance sports. Inspired by Gwen Jorgensen's success as a runner-turned- and encouraged by her husband, Steve Sodaro—a former All-American runner at UC Berkeley—Sodaro began incorporating and into her routine while sidelined from running, viewing as an opportunity to leverage her running foundation while reducing injury risk through non-weight-bearing disciplines. Sodaro's initial coaching shift involved joining the Triathlon Squad in in December 2016 under coach , who guided her entry into the multi-sport format, with providing crucial emotional and logistical support, including working multiple jobs to enable her full-time training. Her training regimen evolved from a running-centric focus to a balanced multi-sport approach, emphasizing swim and bike sessions to build proficiency in those areas while maintaining her running endurance, allowing her to adapt gradually despite starting with a weak swim background. Sodaro's first triathlon experience came in May 2017 at the Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge, where she earned gold and silver medals in sprint-distance races, securing her and confirming her rapid adaptation to the sport's demands. That same year, she entered the ITU World Series, achieving early successes such as third-place finishes at the Richmond CAMTRI Sprint American Cup and the ETU Sprint European Cup, culminating in her first ITU World Cup with a at the Sarasota ITU World Cup in October.

Major Victories and Milestones

Chelsea Sodaro secured her first international elite victory in at the 2018 ITU in , marking a breakthrough in her inaugural full professional season on the circuit. This win highlighted her rapid adaptation from a running background, following an early at the 2017 Sarasota ITU during her transition to the sport. Sodaro's pinnacle achievement arrived at the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, where she claimed victory in her debut at the event and only her second full-distance IRONMAN race overall. She became the first rookie female winner since Chrissie Wellington in 2007 and the first American woman to triumph since Paula Newby-Fraser in 1996. Sodaro executed a balanced strategy, starting with a 50:57 swim that placed her in a strong chase group just 40 seconds behind leader Lucy Charles-Barclay, then maintaining a conservative pace on the 180 km bike to exit T2 in fifth position while conserving energy for the run. Her running prowess shone through with a 2:51:45 marathon—the fastest of the day—allowing her to surge past Daniela Ryf and Charles-Barclay after four miles on the run course, securing the win in 8:33:46. This triumph was especially poignant as it occurred just 18 months after the April 2021 birth of her daughter, Skye, making Sodaro only the second mother to win the . She navigated postpartum challenges, including moments of doubt about continuing her career, by integrating family into her training regimen—such as jogging with Skye in a stroller—and drawing on unwavering support from her husband to balance elite preparation with motherhood. In 2024, Sodaro continued her ascent with dominant performances, winning in 4:18:59 via a commanding run split after a solid bike effort. She followed with a course-record-setting at IRONMAN New Zealand in 8:40:06, overcoming a five-minute drafting penalty on the bike through a resilient run. Sodaro rounded out the year with a hard-fought third place at the in , finishing in 9:04:38 after battling throughout the demanding course.

Recent Competitions and 2025 Season

Following her landmark victory at the 2022 in Kona, where she became the first American woman to win in 26 years, Chelsea Sodaro has maintained a consistent presence in elite long-distance , securing multiple podium finishes across subsequent seasons. In 2025, she competed in five events within the (PTO) and Ironman circuits, achieving three podium results despite early challenges, which underscored her ongoing competitiveness at age 36. She later withdrew from the 2025 World Championship to focus on recovery. The year began with setbacks, including a withdrawal from the April 2025 Ironman Texas due to illness and a did-not-finish (DNF) at the St. George on May 10 after starting strongly in the swim. Sodaro rebounded impressively in June, earning second-place finishes at the Eagleman (3:59:22) on June 8 and the (4:20:20) on June 15, where she demonstrated improved bike pacing and run efficiency. Her momentum continued with a third-place finish at the full-distance Ironman Sweden on August 16 (8:45:42), qualifying her for the and highlighting her ability to adapt to European racing conditions. However, at the October 11 in Kona, Sodaro exited the water in eighth place after a career-best swim of 51:09 but withdrew during the bike leg at the 49-mile mark due to severe absorption issues, marking her second DNF of the season. Sodaro's 2025 performance exemplified resilience amid adversity, as she navigated a rocky start—including and a calf injury—through strategic training adjustments under new coach Neal Henderson, whom she switched to from Dan Plews earlier in the year. Relocating to , she adopted a periodized approach emphasizing "minimum effective dose" workouts, with six weekly , four bike sessions, four to five runs, and two heavy strength sessions to mitigate injury risk and prioritize recovery, peaking at around 30 hours per week. These changes, combined with joining the Ventum team and racing on a custom Tempus bike optimized for her fit, restored her confidence and enjoyment, enabling her to secure 81.84 PTO points overall (ranking #47), with discipline breakdowns of 74.49 in swimming (#59), 76.80 in biking (#68), and 77.33 in running (#54). Looking ahead, Sodaro has expressed determination to build on this foundation, focusing on quality sessions and team support to prepare for future competitions in 2026 and beyond.

Personal Life

Family and Motherhood

Chelsea Sodaro is married to Steve Sodaro, whom she met while both were collegiate runners at the . Steve plays a multifaceted role in her life, serving as her logistics manager for equipment and travel, and primary emotional support during training and competitions, including calming her nerves on race day. In March 2021, Sodaro gave birth to their daughter, Skye. In summer 2024, the family relocated to , to access a supportive community and better environment for balancing family life with elite training. The move allowed them to integrate into a network of athletes and resources in the " of ," enhancing their daily stability. Sodaro has navigated the challenges of motherhood through the Professional Triathletes Organization's (PTO) paid maternity leave policy, announced in November 2020, which provided her with up to 15 months of paid time off, including a stipend based on her world ranking to support her family during her postpartum period. This financial and emotional buffer enabled her to focus on recovery and bonding with Skye without immediate pressure to return to competition, while gradually resuming modified training routines like indoor cycling and swimming. Daily life involves shared family responsibilities, with Steve often taking on primary childcare to allow Sodaro dedicated training windows, though she has expressed experiencing working-mom guilt during solo travels with Skye for events. Emotionally, family presence at key moments has been profoundly motivating for Sodaro; for instance, seeing holding Skye at the 2022 Ironman World Championship finish line in Kona reinforced her sense of purpose and highlighted the collective family effort behind her pursuits. This intersection of personal milestones and athletic endeavors underscores her commitment to motherhood as a source of strength rather than a hindrance.

Advocacy for Athletes

Chelsea Sodaro has been a prominent voice advocating for enhanced support for mothers in professional , emphasizing that women should not have to choose between elite athletic careers and motherhood. Following her 2022 victory just 18 months after giving birth, she publicly stated, "We shouldn’t have to choose between being world class athletes and being moms. We can do it both. We just need some support," highlighting the need for systemic changes in the sport. She praised the Pro Triathletes Organization's (PTO) maternity leave policy, introduced in 2020, which provides up to 15 months of paid leave based on athlete rankings, noting that it signals, "We value you" and counters the perception of motherhood as a career-ending event. In early 2023, Sodaro further argued in interviews that "Mothers shouldn’t feel lucky for being able to pursue sport," asserting instead that such opportunities are a right and entitlement, not a privilege, to promote family-friendly policies like paid maternity leave across triathlon organizations. Sodaro has actively shared her personal experiences to inspire other female athletes, collaborating with organizations dedicated to supporting mothers in endurance sports. She has highlighted the challenges of postpartum recovery and childcare while crediting supportive policies from , which freezes athlete rankings during pregnancy, as exemplified by fellow athlete Katie Zaferes. Through public platforms, she has expressed a vision for broader inclusion, stating, "I am dreaming of a day where more women and more mothers have the opportunity and access to become a part of our community," using her story to advocate for amenities like lactation stations and expanded childcare at races. Her involvement extends to partnerships with groups like &Mother, which promote maternal support in racing environments, reinforcing her call for sponsors and event directors to prioritize these resources. From 2023 to 2025, Sodaro intensified her advocacy through speaking engagements and initiatives aimed at normalizing motherhood in elite sports. In 2023, she discussed and maternal challenges in interviews, including with Olympics.com, to destigmatize postpartum issues among athletes. By 2025, she appeared on podcasts such as How She Does It and Outside, openly addressing her experiences with anxiety and to encourage others to seek help, emphasizing that " is health." She also founded and hosted the inaugural "Unlocking Yes" summit in October 2025, a event benefiting For All Mothers+, which provides grants for childcare and pushes for policy reforms like improved maternity provisions in . Sodaro's 2022 triumph as only the second mother to win the has significantly shifted perceptions in , demonstrating that can serve as "a starting point" rather than the "kiss of death" for an athletic career. Her success has inspired a new generation of mothers, igniting discussions on inclusivity and prompting organizations to adopt more robust family support policies, thereby fostering a more equitable environment for women in the sport.

References

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